Mandatory Inspection of Fish of the Order Siluriformes and Products Derived from Such Fish as FSIS takes over from FDA.

FSIS has now issued their final rule on the inspection of fish from the order Siluriformes and products derived from such fish. Starting March 1, 2016, these fish and fish products will now be under the regulatory jurisdiction of FSIS and no longer regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and will require mandatory inspection. Typical names of fish in the order Siluriformes include but are not limited to Pangasius, Basa, Swai, Bocourti and Panga. Please read below Docket for the final rule issued by U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS). Flegenheimer International will keep you updated as more information comes in.

Docket No. FSIS-2008-0031

DATES: Effective Date: March 1, 2016:
On the effective date (March 1, 2016), Siluriformes fish and fish products are under FSIS jurisdiction. By March 1, 2016, foreign countries seeking to continue exporting Siluriformes fish and fish products to the United States during the transitional period are required to submit lists of establishments (with the establishment name and number) that currently export and will continue to export Siluriformes fish and fish products to the United States. Foreign countries are also required to submit documentation showing that they currently have laws or other legal measures in place that provide authority to regulate the growing and processing of fish for human food and to assure compliance with the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) regulatory requirements in 21 CFR part 123, Fish and Fishery Products.Transitional Period (transition to complete implementation):
Beginning on March 1, 2016 and continuing until September 1, 2017, FSIS will conduct inspection and exercise broad enforcement discretion in domestic establishments that slaughter or slaughter and process and distribute Siluriformes fish and fish products. Foreign countries seeking to continue to export Siluriformes fish and fish products to
the United States after the transitional period has expired are
required to submit to FSIS by September 1, 2017 adequate documentation showing the equivalence of their Siluriformes inspection systems with that of the United States. Foreign countries submitting such documentation by the deadline are permitted to continue exporting
Siluriformes fish and fish products to the United States while FSIS
undertakes an evaluation as to equivalency.Date of Full Enforcement (September 1, 2017):

FSIS will fully enforce these regulations in domestic Siluriformes fish products and fish processing establishments. Foreign countries seeking to continue exporting Siluriformes fish and fish products to the United States upon full enforcement are required to submit their documentation showing equivalence by this date.